Of Rainwater and Cigarettes
by L'ange Dans L'enfer
Summary: Ryan goes out for a smoke and finds someone he didn't know he was looking for. Heavy PG for a curse or two and suggestions of suggestive behavior. ChadxRyan


Hello all! Here is one of my favorite Chyan fics to date. I wrote it in response to one of the October challenges at the Chad/Ryan livejournal group called idontdance. The rules were simple. Write a fic with the prompt first kiss, and bonus prompts of tortilla chips, rain, and someone getting soaked. I saw this challenge and had a great vision of Ryan smoking in the rain while Chad approached him. So here's what came of it. Also, Ryan's dark hair is an homage of sorts to Lucas' new(ish) dye job.

Disclaimer: I own nothing that belongs to Disney. Although, I do like visiting the Disney store whenever I'm at the mall!

Enjoy!

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Ryan stared aimlessly at the raindrops shattering against the fogged window beside his bed while Sharpay chatted incessantly about how great L.A. was, so many celebrities and why did he choose Julliard over sun 365 days a year?

"I've told you a million times," he broke in, looking sadly at the green cell phone in his hand. "They wanted me here, I couldn't say no."

"But I miss you." Ryan tried to convince himself that the phone's crappy speaker made her sound so small.

"I miss you too, sis. We have spring break soon, I'll visit you and I promise we'll only do what you want." Not that they wouldn't have anyway. Despite his sister having a newfound ability to tell Ryan she loved him and have him believe it, she still had to control him in some way. Even two minutes seniority did not save him from her right as a younger sister to boss him from across the country.

"Holy hell," Ryan's roommate muttered at Sharpay's happy squeals as he entered the room. Her vocal excitement ceased at the first sound of his voice.

"Is that Luke?" She didn't bother hiding her disdain. Ever since Ryan told her about the soap opera involving him, his roommate and his roommate's ex-but-maybe-current-boyfriend, she hated him enough for both siblings.

"Yes." Ryan answered wearily, tired of the arguments from 2,461 miles away.

"Oh. Well, I'll talk to you later," she said brightly and Ryan could see her forced smile that surely fell into a scowl as soon as she hung up. He rolled his eyes and chuckled at his sister's determination to keep her halo crooked before wrinkling up his nose.

"What is that smell?"

"Oh, it's nachos. Really just tortilla chips and cheese, but it's tasty nonetheless."

"I know we differ in our food choices, but if that tastes anything like it smells, I'll have to disown you."

Luke chuckled mid-bite, causing some of the unnaturally yellow goo to drip down the middle of his bottom lip. Ryan's mind played a rather delectable scenario that started with him kissing the offending cheese clean, but they both agreed months ago, before Luke started his…whatever with Noah, they would not cross that line. Instead, he grabbed his nearly empty pack of cigarettes and bright pink Zippo (courtesy of his sister, of course) off his desk. She gave him the lighter as a parting gift, because even though she didn't approve of his habit, she couldn't let him own just any lighter.

"Wanna smoke?" He asked, shaking the crinkled package for added effect. Mouth full, Luke just shook his head to which Ryan simply shrugged. He grabbed his fedora and trench coat (from his Humphrey Bogart phase) and quickly headed out the room. He preferred to smoke behind the dorms rather than in front since less people, student and passerby alike, could stare at him with silent disgust. How dare a student from such a prestigious school do such a horrible thing to his body?

Today the rainfall flooded the small patch of cement where he usually stood and he could not stand the thought of ruining the new Italian shoes his mother sent him last weekend to show how much she missed him. So he had no choice but to brave the people who thought they had the right to meddle in his personal choices.

To his great fortune, the downpour drove most of the masses indoors, leaving Ryan more or less alone to smoke and to think. He had itched for this moment through all his morning classes, only to have Sharpay phone him just as he exited the last one to chat for over two hours. He wanted nothing more than to tell her to call later, but they hadn't spoken in two weeks, an eternity between twins inseparable since birth.

The nicotine rushed soothingly through his body and he sighed out smoke. Not only had all his professors decided this week was the one to increase the workload, forcing him awake before dawn and asleep many hours after midnight, but six months of one-sided sexual tension did nothing to ease the stress. Only he could get placed with a completely hot, nice, funny, talented gay roommate who had no interest him unless several alcoholic drinks were consumed. Ryan shook his head to chase away the memory of that mistake as he threw his spent cigarette butt into the street.

Just as he lit up a second time, he caught the sound of hesitant footsteps against the staccato of the steadily falling rain. If someone wanted to give him a sermon on the evils of smoking, he knew he wouldn't be responsible for his actions.

"Ryan Evans?" The voice tugged at something in the young man's memory, but he couldn't place it. Looking up as he pocketed his lighter, he nearly dropped the newly lit cigarette in surprise as he laid eyes on the last person he expected to see in New York. At least he thought it was him, maybe it was a relative.

"Can I help you?" Indifference played better than instant recognition.

"It's me, Chad Danforth, from East High?" So his first hunch was right. Four years had certainly changed him, most noticeably his hair, or lack thereof. The buoyant curls that visually set him apart no longer existed, instead his dark hair sat close to his head. He looked more tired, less hopeful since the last Ryan saw him. His dark raincoat dripped rainwater on his patent leather shoes and only then did he realize what else made Chad unrecognizable.

"Are you wearing a suit?" A cheap one, probably from Men's Warehouse or something.

"What?" Chad looked down at his soaked self. "Oh, yeah." He offered no more and silence permeated between them until Ryan felt it suffocating him and he spoke.

"Why are you here?" Chad took a deep breath as though he expected that question and looked down for a moment

"I'm here for a game," he told their shoes. That explained the suit. "But I knew you'd be here and I wanted to give you something. Something I've been waiting a while to give you."

"You have a gift for me?" Ryan asked incredulously as he dropped his spent cigarette to a watery death.

"I guess you could call it that." Chad replied. Suddenly he crashed his lips onto Ryan's, who lost his balance for a moment with the shock before slamming into the brick wall behind them. Chad continued to ravish his lips and it didn't take long for Ryan to respond, wrapping his arms around his wet neck. Six months of a forbidden lust came pouring out in these few moments of bliss. Chad shivered, though he knew it had more to do with their clashing tongues than with the cool weather.

Chad had planned this moment since he learned their team had a game in New York and Gabriella had mentioned how happy Ryan told her he was in the city. He knew he wanted his first kiss as an "official" gay man to be with the blonde. Well, brunette now, he thought hazily as he pulled off Ryan's trademark hat and ran his hands through his dark hair. After all, if he didn't start fantasizing about this moment, Chad wouldn't have realized he was gay, so he wanted to thank Ryan in the only way that made sense.

Finally they broke apart, out of necessity than actual want and they stood, panting at one another as the rain continued to fall. Ryan didn't know what say but that had certainly driven Luke from his mind. Before Ryan could speak, demand an explanation or ask how far his hotel room was, Chad smiled, returned the fedora clutched in his hand and walked away. Had his brain not still been in a fog he would have called out, asked to go for a cup of coffee or something, but for now he did nothing but watch Chad's retreating figure.

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A/N: Also, cookies for anyone who can spot my (not so) hidden nod to my favorite couple on "As the World Turns"! 


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